Advice firm Ascot Lloyd has signed a deal with investment giant BlackRock that will see its £2.8bn investment arm only use the asset manager’s funds. The deal is the latest in a string of asset managers securing exclusive partnerships with large UK advice firms. BlackRock inked a separate deal with Mattioli Woods earlier this year, while Amundi recently announced a tie-up with True Potential. Ascot Lloyd said the deal would reduce costs for clients and give them access to a wide range of products. Ascot Lloyd CEO Francis Jackson said: “Beyond the benefits for clients – from cost-efficiency to the access BlackRock can provide across the full range of investment styles – this is a meaningful accelerator of our strategic ambition to scale our investment management proposition.”